This browser is no longer supported.
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(128, 8%, 22%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
This message often pops up when I try to move an email to a folder after reading and closing it. This happens even though I have not changed the message at all other than to read it. If I select another message and then try to move the original message again, it will work.
I have been getting this problem for years and I am sick of it! everytime I try to tidy my inbox it takes hours because I have to keep moving away and then back to the email.
I know this message pops up in relation to other scenarios but I would like to concentrate on just this one problem as otherwise there are too many off topic answers.
This has been happening for at least 6 YEARS is no-one from Microsoft able to help with this problem?
Using classic Outlook for Windows in business environments
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
No, this is with a 3rd party email provider That I have used successfully with POP3 for many years. Only when I switched to IMAP the problem started.
My current workaround: If I cannot move the email, I close it and open ANOTHER email and close that and then move the problematic email from the Inbox without opening it. Usually works on the first try.
I have been fighting this issue for years. I have a Gmail account linked to Outlook using IMAP. Two issues were constant, this one and the fact that messages were being duplicated in a folder called Important. I found the solution to the Important folder and it seems to have fixed the message moving issue as well.
Close Outlook
Go to https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#settings/labels
Uncheck "Show in IMAP" for both Important and Starred
Open Outlook
The Important folder should be gone.
Messages should move normally.
Here is the answer that helped me:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook_com/forum/all/important-folder-in-outlook/0a2acc2c-4e30-48c3-a407-9d664de33d8f
I've also had this problem in recent years and haven't found a way to fix it. The workaround is to select another message in the inbox, pause, then select the message I want to move and then drag-n-drop it to the destination folder. This workaround usually works for me.
BRILLIANT !!!! After all the nonsense from the techies at Microsoft, this is the workaround that works!! Thank you J.Hawkey :) Lson5, I do so agree with your frustration about lengthy, unhelpful, irrelevant suggestions.
Yes, it's only a workaround, the fix is Microsoft's responsibility - if only they will believe their customers that the problem actually exists!
Yep this question has gone around and round - I did put this workaround in my original post:
This happens even though I have not changed the message at all other than to read it. If I select another message and then try to move the original message again, it will work.
There hasn't been any answer that fixes the problem only this work around, which means that if you are sorting out your inbox it doubles the amount of time needed to complete the task.
Why oh why isn't there an actual fix?
Apologies Lson5 for not crediting you with the workaround as well. I'd not spotted the comment in your original post.